Engine-control system



C. F. KETTERING.

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. mm.

1,434,01 3. v Patented Oct- 31, 1922.

3 SHEETS-$HEET I.

% AWj/K @MW 4 C. F. KETTERING.

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1919.

1,434,013, Patented 0013. 31; 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W M J7 C. F. KETTERING.

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1919.

1, 1,34,01 3 Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

V Patented Oct. 31, 1922. I

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E: KETTERING, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATORIES COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

t ENGINE-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed May 26, 1919. Serial No. 299,762.

To all whom it may concern:

Bei'it'known that I, CHARLES F. KETTER- ING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine- Gontrol Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to-systems of control for internal-combustion engines and has among its objects the prevention of racing of the engine when the starting device is connected with it. This racing of the engine would not only be injurious to the engine itself but might be injurious to the starting device in case the starting device were not immediately disconnected from the engine as soon'as the starting operation had been efi'ected.-

Other-and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings; Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an internalcombustion engine provided with a starting device and with the system of control for the starting device and engine including the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a planview of the elements shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the starting device taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 showing the positions taken by certain of the controlling elements while the starting device is mechanically connected with the engine. I

In the drawings, 20 indicates an internalcombustion engine of the automobile type which is located in front of and below the automobile floor board, a fragmentary section of which is shown at 21 in Fig. 1. 22 refers to the usual type of steering wheel of the automobile which is connected with a steering column 23 for actuating the steering gear, not shown.

A throttle lever 24located above the steering wheel 22 is connected witha tube 25 extending down through the steering column 23 and carrying at its lower end a lever arm 26. The engine 20 is provided with carburetor 3O havinga butterfly throttle valve upon the shaft 36.

31 mounted on shaft 32. Shaft 32 carries lever 33 which is connected by link 34 with a lever 35 secured upon a shaft 36 which is rotatably journalled upon the engine frame. Shaft 36 carries lever 37 the outer end of which is connected with a link 38 provided wlth ears 39 and 40. A link 41 connected at one end with lever 26 projects through aligned apertures in ears 39 and 40 and carries fixed collars 42 and 43. A spring 44 is interposed between collar 42 and ear 40. It will be seen that by means of this connection just described movement of-the throttle lever 24in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 will effect the opening of the throttle valve 31 and the clockwise movement of the lever 24 will effect the closing of said throttle valve. The throttle valve 31 may be controlled independently of the manual throttle lever 24 by means of an accelerator pedal 50 which is pivotal'ly mounted upon the floor board 21 and provided with a lever arm 51 which is connected by link 52 with a lever 53 fixed Vhen the accelerator pedal 50 is depressed clockwise motion will be imparted to the shaft 36 causing lever 35, link 34 and lever 33 to be moved upwardly to open the throttle valve 31. 'lVhen this occurs link 38 may move independently of link 41 compressing the spring 44 and permitting the throttle lever 24 to remain in the position in which it has been placed manually. As

soon as the accelerator pedal 50 is released the spring 44 will expand forcing the link 38 downwardly until the ear 40 abuts against the collar 43. In this manner the spring 44 restores valve 31 to a position corresponding to the setting of throttle lever 24.

The engine is provided with a starting device which is secured upon the frame o'f the engine 20 in any suitable manner. The starter 60 includes an electric motor having field windings 61 and an armature-62, a. con:- mutator 63 and a spur gear 64 mounted upon an armature shaft 65. Gear 64 meshes with a speed reduction gear 66 which is mounted upon a counter shaft 67. A pinion 68 having sliding driving connection with the shaft 67 is arranged to be brought into engagement with a flywheel gear (39 when it is desired to start the engine. The movement of pinion 68 is controlled by a starting pedal 70 slidably mounted in a bushing 71 carried by the floor board 21. The downward move link 73 with lever Brushes 108 and 109 gagement with the ment of pedal isresisted by a spring 72 interposed between the headof pedal 70 and the bushing 71. Pedal 70 is connected by.

74 which is pivoted at 75. One end of lever 74 is operably connected with a sliding collar 76 slidably mounted'on the shaft 67. A spring 77 is interposed between collar, 76 and the pinion 68. It is ap parent that by depressing pedal 70 motion will be imparted to pinion 68 from the spring 77 in such a manner as to cause pinion 68 to be brought into engagement with the flywheel gear 69.

The connection between link 73 and lever 74 is effected by means of a pin 80 which projects through a slot 81 provided in a brush lifting lever 82. Lever 82 is pivotally mounted at 83 upon the frame of the starting device, and one end of this lever is arranged to contact with a plun er 84 for the purpose of maintaining t e motor brushes out of engagement with the motor commutator when the starting device is inoperative. The slot 81 is so arranged with reference to the movements of lever 74 that after the pedal 70 has been depressed to a certain extent which is sufficient to bring the pinion 68 into substantial engagement with the flywheel gea-r69, a movement of lever 82 will take place causing the motor brushes to be brought into engagement with the motor commutatorto effect the connection of the motor and the battery or; other'source of starting current.

Referring to Fig. 3, the lever 82 engages a pm 100, mounted to slide within the. motor frame and to engage brush arm 101 carrying'brush 106. When lever 82 is in the pos1tion shown in Fig.1 and Fig. 3, brush 106 is maintained out of contact with commu.- tator 63. Brush arm 101, when in the posltionshown in Fig. 3, in turn maintains tator 63, as said arm -101 is provided with a lug 103'engag1ng lever 104' which in engages lug 105 carried by ,the'brush turn arm which the brush 107 is. mounted are mounted upon arms respectively. Springs 112 brushes 108 and 109 in encommutator 63 at .a'll times. When pedal 70 is depressed as shown in Fig. 4 lever 82 will be moved upwardly to release pin 84 and to permit brushes 106 and 107 to be moved by springs 113 into engagement with the commutator 63. I

'ljhe particular detail description of the various operations of this starting device is 110 and 111, serve to hold the disclosed in the copending, application of William A. Chryst Serial No. 296,393, filed May 12, 1919, and further detail description of this application is considered unnecessary. The lever 74 is connected with a'link which projects through an aperture 9].-

before the motor shaft can be disconnected formed in the outer end of lever 92 which is mounted in fixed relation with the shaft 36. A-collar 93 is mounted upon the link 90 in such a relation to the lever 92 that when the starting" pedal 70 is inoperative or in the released position as shown in Fig. 1, the valve 31 may be-moved to full open position either by means of the throttle lever 24 or the accelerator pedal 50. If before starting the engine the throttle 31 is moved to full open position as shown in Fig. l by the movement of lever 24 to the upper position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the engine would race upon becoming selfloperative. with the result of injurious effects upon the engine and the starting device. However,

ing pedal 70 is depressed the link 90 willbe moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, causing motion to be transmitted to the lever 92 through the collar 93 such as. to move the valve 31 toward closed position. When the star-ting pedal 70 is fully; depressed to effect the starting operation y moving gear 68 into engagement withfly-wheel gear 69 and by effecting the connection of the starting motor in the manner described, the device controlling the throttle will have been moved at the same time into the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. With the controlled devices in these positions. the throttle valve 31 will occupy a partially closed position as shown in Fig. 4.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that a system control has been provided whereby it is impossible to race the engine as 'soonas the starting pedal is depressed.

The depressing of the pedal 70 will cause 24 and 50 to the position shown in Fig. 1 will be resisted as long as the foot is held upon the pedal-70. In this manner racing of the engine during the starting operation is prevented, and consequently excessive rotation of the motor shaft 65 by the engine,

9 is prevented. Normally the spring 72 effects the return movement of the pedal70 and consequently the disengagement of the gears 68 and 69. But should this spring'72 become ineffective for any reason, then the disengagement of the gears 68 and 69 may be effected by moving the pedal 50 from the position shown in Fig. 4 shown in Fig. 1. ,7

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred to the position ,form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

, device for the engine; and means for controlling said starting device and said manual means to limit to a partly open position the opening of said throttle by said manual means whereby to prevent racing when the engine becomes self-operative.

2. In an engine control system, the combination with an internal-combustion engine havinga' throttle valve; manual means for controlling the throttle valve; a starting device for-the engine; and means for controlling said starting device and said manual means to limit to a partly open pos1t1on the opening of said throttle by said manual means whereby to prevent racing when the engine becomes self-operative, said starter controlling means permitting a limited control of said throttle by said manual means.

3. In an engine control system. the combination with an internal-combustion engine having a throttle valve: manualmeans for controlling the throttle valve; a starting device for the engine including a power device and gearing to connect the same with the engine; and means for controlling the power device for moving certain of said gearing into and out of mechanical connection with the engine and for limiting to a partly open position the opening of the throttle by said manual means.

4;. In an engine control system. the combination with an internal-combustion engine having a throttle valve and a gear: manual -means for controlling the throttle valve; a

starting device including an electric motor and a motor pinion shifting into connection with said engine gear: and means for rendering the motor operative. for moving said pinion into and out of enm :shment with said engine gear and for limiting to a partly open position the opening of said throttle by said with the engine and for controlling said speed controlling. means whereby the .engine speed is limited to a value less than maxi-' mum.

6. In an engine control system. the combination with an internal-combustion engine having a gear: of a starting motor having a gear connected therewith, means for controlling the speed of operation of the engine; and means for connecting said gears and for controlling said speed controlling means whereby the engine speed is limited to a value less than maximum.

7. In an engine starting system, the combination with an internal-combustion engine having a throttle; of a starting device; means for controlling the throttle including a hand lever and a foot pedal, the movement .of the foot pedal permitting the setting of the hand lever to remain undisturbed; and means for rendering the starting device operative and for limiting the movement of the throttle by either the hand lever or the foot pedal to a predetermined partly closed positlon.

8. In an engine starting system, the com-- bination with an internal-combustion engine havinga throttle: of a starting device; normally disconnected gearing between the starting deviceand engine: means for controlling the throttle including a hand lever and a foot pedal. the movement of the foot pedal permitting the setting of the hand lever to remain undisturbed; and means for a connecting said gearing and for limiting the movement of thethrottle by either the hand lever or the foot pedal to a predetermined partly closed position.

9. In an engine starting system. the combination with an internalcombustion engine having a throttle: of a starting device; nor- .mally disconnected gearing between the starting device and engine: means for controlling the throttle including a hand lever and a foot pedal. the movement of the foot pedal permitting the setting of the hand lever to remain undisturbed-z and means for rendering the starting device operative. for connecting said gearing and. for limiting the movement of the throttle by either the hand lever or the foot pedal to a predetermined partly closed position.

10. In an engine control system, the combination with an internal combustion engine; of an engine starting devicermeans for controlling the speed of the engine; and means for rendering the starting device operative to crank the engine and for controlling said speed controlling means whereby theengine speed is limited to a value less than maximum.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. I

CHARLES F. KETTERING.

\Vitnesses:

HAZEL SOLLENBERGER, MILDRED PEARE. 

